Saturday, April 10, 2010

Judge Not

Judge not, lest ye be judged. Exceptions however will be made if you are judging Tiger Woods. The subplot of the Masters this week in Augusta has been how do you receive a disgraced champion, and is redemption a possibility.

It is a testimony to our stubborn and innate sense of right and wrong that people can still be aghast at somebody else's serial affairs. And it creates a conundrum since culturally we're supposed to be well beyond judging what others do in their private lives. What's a respectable place like Augusta to do? We see an airplane toting banners referring to Tiger's sins (until the plane was mysteriously grounded for its lack of taste}. More tactfully we hear reporters asking other golfers if there is any "awkwardness" around the clubhouse. It seems wrong to notice. It seems wrong not to.

What's more interesting to me though is the talk of redemption. Will the public forgive Tiger the error of his ways? Most commentators say absolution is available for the price of some really stellar rounds of golf. It seems special gifts will buy you special grace. Tiger should grateful he's not a truck driver. The public might not be so willing to forgive.

We're curious people. We can't ignore transgressions we aren't supposed to notice. And having noticed them
we aren't sure how to price forgiveness. It's awkward.